The Gender of Crime

Second Edition

Dana M. Britton; Shannon K. Jacobsen and Grace E. Howard

The Gender of Crime introduces readers to how gender shapes our understanding of every aspect of crime—from defining what crime is to governing how crime is punished. The second edition of this award-winning book maintains the accessible, reader-friendly narrative of the first edition with key updates and new material throughout, including increased focus on the intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality in crime and punishment; more attention to LGBTQ issues; additional coverage of gender and crime on college campuses; and more.

This dynamic and provocative book illustrates how gender is central to the definition, prosecution, and sentencing of crimes, that it shapes how victimization is experienced and understood, and how it structures the institutions of the criminal justice system and the experiences of workers within that system. The Gender of Crime demonstrates that crime, victimization, and crime control are never generic—they are instead produced and experienced by gendered (and raced, and classed, and sexualized) actors within contexts of social inequality. This book highlights key concepts and encourages readers to think through a range of compelling real-life examples, from school violence to corporate crime. The second edition of The Gender of Crime is essential reading for students of gender and sexuality, sociology, criminology, and criminal justice.« lessmore »

Dana M. Britton is Professor of Labor Studies and Employment Relations and Director of the Center for Women and Work at the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations. She has published extensively on gender inequality at work and is the author of At Work in the Iron Cage: The Prison as Gendered Organization.

Shannon K. Jacobsen is a PhD candidate in the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University. Her research examines the role of gender in violence and victimization, as well as crime on college and university campuses. Her work has been published in journals including Deviant Behavior and the Journal of Criminal Justice Education.

Grace E. Howard is assistant professor of gender studies at the University of Southern Indiana and an American Association of University Women Fellow. Her current work focuses on the politics of reproduction, examining the roles that race and class play in the criminal prosecution of pregnant women.

1. A Gender Lens on Criminology2. Gender and Criminal Offending3. Gender and the Criminal Justice System4. Gender and Crime Victimization5. Gender and Work in the Criminal Justice System6. Conclusion

The Gender of Crime is theoretically sophisticated, examining the topics of import for teaching students to think critically about the relationships of gender, race/ethnicity, sexuality, class, and inequality with crime and justice. In addition to its thorough research coverage, the authors use concrete examples to make key concepts readily understandable.— Jody Miller, School of Criminal Justice, Rutgers University

In this carefully crafted, meticulously researched, and thoughtfully argued book, the authors turn a gender lens on criminology, offering clear and nuanced explanations and examples of how gender (as well as race, class, and sexuality) shape the commission of crime and our responses to it. The authors also expose the biases within criminology that, to date, have prevented us from recognizing the influence of masculinity or the criminal acts of the government and corporations. This book soundly debunks persistent and damaging myths about crime, such as the idea that rape is a rare event committed mainly by strangers and the belief that women and men participate equally in intimate partner violence. The authors’ lucid and even-handed explanations make this an excellent resource for anyone interested in the study of crime.— Jeanne Flavin, Fordham University; author of Our Bodies, Our Crimes: The Policing of Women's Reproduction in America

This treasure-trove of evidence and insights about gender and crime in the United States offers a disturbing picture of the dynamics of criminalization, crime victimization, and the kinds of people (and entities) that are prosecuted (or not) for committing crimes. The authors expose as false many widely accepted myths about gender and crime and continually remind us that race/ethnicity, social class, and sexual orientation as well as gender are implicated in crime commission and society’s responses to it. This profoundly sociological book urges readers to focus on social contexts when seeking to understand how crime is ‘constructed’ by society (legislatures, the courts). A comprehensive, insightful, well-documented analysis, this book is an invaluable resource that will both inform and prompt debates in coming years.— Patricia Yancey Martin, Daisy Parker Flory Professor of Sociology Emerita, Florida State University

Gender is one of the most powerful predictors of criminal participation and criminal victimization, yet it remains woefully undertheorized in criminology. The Gender of Crime offers an important corrective to this omission. The authors make a compelling case that gender is not only central to our ability to understand crime and punishment, but also to our capacity to ensure the broader democratic guarantee of justice for all.— Jill McCorkel, Villanova University

The robust fact that gender (particularly masculinity) is a leading correlate of crime is confronted by Britton, Jacobsen, and Howard in a way that is accessible, compelling, and insightful. Weaving a tapestry from existing research, the authors explore important social patterns of crime offending, victimization, and the social institutions that reproduce gender inequalities. Readers will not forget the immutable lessons found within this book.— Kimberly J. Cook, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Applies a gender lens to criminology, considering how gender and other social inequalities, such as race/ethnicity and class, shape our understanding of crime

Discusses how gender impacts every aspect of crime and justice, from how crimes are defined to how crimes are covered by media

Introduces students to key concepts in criminology, criminal justice, and victimology

Exposes common myths, such as the chivalrous police officer refraining from giving the crying female driver a speeding ticket

New featuresAdditional discussion of LGBTQ issues throughout the book

Expanded discussion of hate crimes

New coverage of gender and crime on college campuses

Updated statistics throughout

Includes discussions of police violence, and how police handle gendered crimes

The Gender of Crime

Second Edition

Hardback

Paperback

eBook

Summary

Summary

The Gender of Crime introduces readers to how gender shapes our understanding of every aspect of crime—from defining what crime is to governing how crime is punished. The second edition of this award-winning book maintains the accessible, reader-friendly narrative of the first edition with key updates and new material throughout, including increased focus on the intersections of race, class, gender, and sexuality in crime and punishment; more attention to LGBTQ issues; additional coverage of gender and crime on college campuses; and more.

This dynamic and provocative book illustrates how gender is central to the definition, prosecution, and sentencing of crimes, that it shapes how victimization is experienced and understood, and how it structures the institutions of the criminal justice system and the experiences of workers within that system. The Gender of Crime demonstrates that crime, victimization, and crime control are never generic—they are instead produced and experienced by gendered (and raced, and classed, and sexualized) actors within contexts of social inequality. This book highlights key concepts and encourages readers to think through a range of compelling real-life examples, from school violence to corporate crime. The second edition of The Gender of Crime is essential reading for students of gender and sexuality, sociology, criminology, and criminal justice.

Dana M. Britton is Professor of Labor Studies and Employment Relations and Director of the Center for Women and Work at the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations. She has published extensively on gender inequality at work and is the author of At Work in the Iron Cage: The Prison as Gendered Organization.

Shannon K. Jacobsen is a PhD candidate in the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University. Her research examines the role of gender in violence and victimization, as well as crime on college and university campuses. Her work has been published in journals including Deviant Behavior and the Journal of Criminal Justice Education.

Grace E. Howard is assistant professor of gender studies at the University of Southern Indiana and an American Association of University Women Fellow. Her current work focuses on the politics of reproduction, examining the roles that race and class play in the criminal prosecution of pregnant women.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

1. A Gender Lens on Criminology2. Gender and Criminal Offending3. Gender and the Criminal Justice System4. Gender and Crime Victimization5. Gender and Work in the Criminal Justice System6. Conclusion

Reviews

Reviews

The Gender of Crime is theoretically sophisticated, examining the topics of import for teaching students to think critically about the relationships of gender, race/ethnicity, sexuality, class, and inequality with crime and justice. In addition to its thorough research coverage, the authors use concrete examples to make key concepts readily understandable.— Jody Miller, School of Criminal Justice, Rutgers University

In this carefully crafted, meticulously researched, and thoughtfully argued book, the authors turn a gender lens on criminology, offering clear and nuanced explanations and examples of how gender (as well as race, class, and sexuality) shape the commission of crime and our responses to it. The authors also expose the biases within criminology that, to date, have prevented us from recognizing the influence of masculinity or the criminal acts of the government and corporations. This book soundly debunks persistent and damaging myths about crime, such as the idea that rape is a rare event committed mainly by strangers and the belief that women and men participate equally in intimate partner violence. The authors’ lucid and even-handed explanations make this an excellent resource for anyone interested in the study of crime.— Jeanne Flavin, Fordham University; author of Our Bodies, Our Crimes: The Policing of Women's Reproduction in America

This treasure-trove of evidence and insights about gender and crime in the United States offers a disturbing picture of the dynamics of criminalization, crime victimization, and the kinds of people (and entities) that are prosecuted (or not) for committing crimes. The authors expose as false many widely accepted myths about gender and crime and continually remind us that race/ethnicity, social class, and sexual orientation as well as gender are implicated in crime commission and society’s responses to it. This profoundly sociological book urges readers to focus on social contexts when seeking to understand how crime is ‘constructed’ by society (legislatures, the courts). A comprehensive, insightful, well-documented analysis, this book is an invaluable resource that will both inform and prompt debates in coming years.— Patricia Yancey Martin, Daisy Parker Flory Professor of Sociology Emerita, Florida State University

Gender is one of the most powerful predictors of criminal participation and criminal victimization, yet it remains woefully undertheorized in criminology. The Gender of Crime offers an important corrective to this omission. The authors make a compelling case that gender is not only central to our ability to understand crime and punishment, but also to our capacity to ensure the broader democratic guarantee of justice for all.— Jill McCorkel, Villanova University

The robust fact that gender (particularly masculinity) is a leading correlate of crime is confronted by Britton, Jacobsen, and Howard in a way that is accessible, compelling, and insightful. Weaving a tapestry from existing research, the authors explore important social patterns of crime offending, victimization, and the social institutions that reproduce gender inequalities. Readers will not forget the immutable lessons found within this book.— Kimberly J. Cook, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Features

Features

Applies a gender lens to criminology, considering how gender and other social inequalities, such as race/ethnicity and class, shape our understanding of crime

Discusses how gender impacts every aspect of crime and justice, from how crimes are defined to how crimes are covered by media

Introduces students to key concepts in criminology, criminal justice, and victimology